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We’re living at a time when online classrooms are revolutionizing the way students learn in America and also across the globe. As we speak, the smartphone is the crayon of a 4-year old American child. But it goes without saying that even adults are slowly transitioning from the traditional classroom, to the more eco-friendly, paper and toner free online classroom which seems to be more convenient for many people.

In this article, we’re giving some useful insights into the topic. We’re highlighting the fact that e-learning could be the classroom of the future.

You see, web-based learning has proved to be promising in terms of adoption and also the rate at which students complete their trainings. Even experts now assure us of the fact that traditional learning is on the verge of a dramatic change.

Why Scholars Think Online Learning is the Future

Since internet-based learning become popular, it has slowly empowered or even replaced many historical interactive processes. We no longer shop, date or even bank like we used to in the 80s, and probably early 90s. This makes us believe that web-based learning is where things are moving, and here’s why:

(a) Affordability
It wouldn’t be a surprise to say there are over 300 lecture hours at Harvard, Berkeley, and MIT available on YouTube for free. These are also known as MOOCs, and they are free to anyone who wants to participate. Similar learning platforms have also emerged, and they are cost-effective as ever. This means online learning is becoming more scalable than the traditional classroom in terms of reduced overhead since toners and printing have been replaced by an ipad or laptop.

(b) Accessibility
The idea of E-learning became popular because some colleges were using it to attract customers who were likely not going to attain any form of higher education. Today, MOOCs are free, and open to anyone who wants to learn. What this means is that the platforms attract and retain a diverse range of learners, regardless of their geographic location, backgrounds, experience or even goals.

(c) Preparations
It’s more than likely that future employers will need employees who are familiar with dynamic learning. Right now, e-learning is increasingly being implemented as a training tool in most corporations. And if this is the case, then it’s also possible that employees who are familiar with e-learning would be most favored.

(d) Convenience
Think about attending your lectures when you feel it’s convenient for you. You could even choose your own pace to learn — something that’s not even possible with a traditional classroom. This, coupled with web forums created around courses add to the usability of these education programs.

(e) Customizability
Students can choose according to their preference. Learners are in control of what they want to learn, how they want to learn and how much they should learn.

The Statistics
We pulled out some findings from the Babson Research Study. The general consensus was that academic leaders are still undecided about the idea of e-learning being a sustainable method of learning. 45.2% remained neutral on the subject. The remaining participants were split between two opinions.

Currently, less than 3% of Higher Education Institutions offer some sort of a MOOC. On the other hand, a large percentage of Chief Academic officers (at 69.1%) claim online learning represents a crucial part of their future strategy. Out of the 69.1%, only 9.4% are in the infant stages of fully implementing MOOC in their respective institutions.

Conclusion
The idea of e-learning has evoked different opinions across people. Some think it’s going to be sustainable, while those who are a little bit of the stereotype prefer paper-based learning despite the changes taking place. This could be the reason why education providers are still at cross-roads — they haven’t fully decided whether to adopt e-learning or stick to the traditional interactive learning in a classroom.